National ministry treasures girls, will award medal to Deltona graduate

Saturday

Aug 16, 2014 at 12:01 AM

By SUZY KRIDNER WYMESCorrespondent

Alexandra “Janay” Oliveras is having two graduations this year.The Deltona 18-year-old graduated May 30 from Trinity Christian Academy and Aug. 24 she will receive a gold medal from National Girls Ministries in a ceremony at Trinity Assembly of God. Started in the 1950s by Assemblies of God USA, the Girls Ministries program is about Christian discipleship for ages 3 through high school, said Ann Soto-Fowler of Deltona, coordinator for Trinity Assembly and four other Volusia County churches, not all of which are affiliated with the Assemblies of God.“Teaching biblical truths will help girls learn to make God-pleasing decisions,” Soto-Fowler said.Oliveras has been in Girls Ministries since she was 3 years old.“I am receiving a gold medallion because I graduated with honors from each of the groups,” she said.This is a rare accomplishment, according to Soto-Fowler. Only a handful of girls in the whole country receive the gold medal every year, and she believes Alexandra is the first ever in this area. Soto-Fowler is Trinity Assembly’s Girls Ministries coordinator and representative for Section 5 which includes Volusia, Brevard and other east coast counties.“I started at age 3 with Rainbows, moved up through the ranks, Daisy, Prims, Stars, Friends and Girls Only, which is just high school,” Oliveras said.“I had a vest for Rainbows, and a sash for Daisy, Prims, Stars. I received a sash for my badges, a necklace for my charms in Friends, and for Girls Only, I had a half sash with the pins I received.”She said she received about 18 to 20 badges, pins and charms, in each level, similar to Scouting badges.Oliveras is taking core classes at Daytona State College for an associate of arts degree, and then plans to transfer to a university. “I’d like to study physical therapy,” she said.Her sister Lyzette, who also was in Girls Ministries, works at Trinity Assembly as church secretary. She graduated with honors from Girls Only.Teachers in Girls Only, the program for high school students, contributes greatly to the program, said Oliveras. “I liked all my teachers.”“Every Wednesday, we had lively discussions, she said, as well as writing in a small journal/workbook, reading from the Bible and having open discussion on the Bible.“With Miss Marta there’s always lively discussions,” said Oliveras, referring to Marta Suero, who mentored the girls along with Beverly Hibbert and Anita Pandoff.“Our lessons included employment, dating, preparing for marriage, time management, knowing your talents, being fit for life, personal appearance and the friendship factor,” she said.“A lot of our lessons were very relatable, designed for teenage girls, relevant and can apply to our everyday lives,” Oliveras added.She hopes to help with the program now that she has graduated.“A lot of time Miss Marta would bring in graduates to teach certain lessons. I’ll probably do that,” she said.Soto-Fowler said, “Girls are faced with so much confusion and temptation in their daily lives. ... But in a setting catered to girls they can connect with each other and an older mentor who can invest in them through Bible study and activities. The mentors can help them grow in their faith and discover the answers to the questions they face.”“We have a very large Girls Ministries program and we’re very blessed,” Soto-Fowler said. “We have girls from broken homes, traditional and foster homes. We pay for their uniforms, vests, journals, etc. We have sponsors or the church pays if the families can’t afford it.”“Our children are bombarded daily through the media, magazines, music and Internet with beliefs, standards and thought patterns that are not healthy for them,” Soto-Fowler said. She said Girls Ministries wants to give them direction and guidance.“Some of our topics include art, music, prayer, believing, loving and family for our kindergarten through fifth grade. With our middle and high school girls some of our discussions include topics like college and career, dating, accountability, choices, peer pressure, the Holy Spirit, salvation, relationships and many more. ““They learn that the Bible is relevant and needed in their everyday lives,” she said.Other churches in the area with Girls Ministries through fifth grade include First Assembly DeLand, The Sanctuary in DeLand and Calvary Christian Center in Ormond Beach, Soto-Fowler said. The Lighthouse in DeLand goes through high school. No Girls Ministries programs operate in Flagler County.